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Mario Palermo
|image = |age = 23|race = |sex = |location = Welland, Ontario|disappeared = December 12, 1977|missing for = |height = 5'6|weight = 150 pounds|classification = Not stated}}Mario N. Palermo was a man who disappeared from Ontario in 1977. Description Palermo was described to have brown hair and brown eyes. Peculiarly, Mario's Canadian Citizenship Certificate, dated 1964, indicated that he in fact had blue eyes, however, that statement was erroneous. He also had a mustache, and a medium build at the time of his disappearance, as well as 3 moles on his face; each located down the side of his left cheek and jaw. Mario also had very distinctive and prominent ears that seemed to "stick out", and the tip of his ears were pointy in a backwards direction (see gallery below). His mandible and chin were angular, and could be considered "robust". Prior to his disappearance, Palermo was a single man living at home with his parents and 3 younger siblings. His home life had become severely turbulent from the late '60s until the day he was last seen. That year, Mario had placed a tape recorder on the table at home one night that his father was drinking excessively. The tape revealed a confrontation incited by Mario, and captured chilling screams and a harrowing struggle as he ran around the house in complete and abject terror, running for his life, while he was being chased around the house repeatedly by his father who was wielding a knife; intent on harming him. The tape in question had since been destroyed. His father Giovanni had a severe alcohol problem (until he quit drinking in November 1994), and was a danger to the rest of his family prior to this. Every weekend, they had to board themselves up in a room indefinitely by stacking furniture against the door so that his dad would not break through and harm them. Mario also routinely had to place himself against the door to keep him out. Family believe that he very understandably may have fled due to such conditions, and subsequently, may have taken on a new identity. Mario had repeatedly begged his mother Petronilla to move away with him and find an apartment together, as he feared for her life if she were to stay with her husband. Unfortunately, every time he brought it up, Petronilla adamantly refused, telling him that she couldn't leave her family behind. This occurred in 1977, just before he left home. Mario had been fluent in both English and Italian languages. According to his siblings, he did not have an Italian accent when speaking English. At the time of disappearance, the missing persons report was poorly recorded, and many factors/information had been left out inadvertently, allowing Mario's case to fall through the cracks. Tragically, as a result, his case soon went cold. Research and related items gathered strongly suggested that had this been looked into sooner, he most likely would have been found. In early March 2019, Niagara College's Media department, along with Canada's Bell Fibe TV, have officially agreed to work with the Palermo family to produce a documentary about his life and mysterious disappearance. This is the first time that Mario's case had ever been introduced to the media and public, in hopes that someone may recognize him or hold information valuable to the search effort. It has been decided that the documentary will be in 4-part episodes, which will be telling his entire story in depth (from his personal point of view, personalizing Mario's unique story) surrounding Mario's heritage, his personal life and challenges, his mysterious disappearance, and lastly, the lengths family is going to presently investigate an excitingly-promising lead being currently investigated by his somewhat estranged loved ones, who for him, are all coming together to help fight for well-deserved justice and closure before it's too late. Life prior to disappearance Palermo was born on August 27th, 1954 in Conflenti (village within the region of Calabria), Catanzaro, Italy, approximately two years before immigrating with his parents to Canada. Mario had been baptized (Roman Catholic) in Conflenti Inferiore a few months prior to the move. When Mario was 2 years old, he and his young parents had sailed upon the S.S. Vulcania leaving from the city of Rome, Italy. The first stop was the docks of New York City. The second stop was Halifax, Nova Scotia, where the three 'landed' on the day of December 6, 1956. They then finally settled down in Welland, Ontario, and Mario would soon begin attending St. Mary Catholic Elementary School. While in the 7th grade, Palermo joined the Welland School Safety Patrol, which had been run by CAA. As a treat, Mario and 7 of his peers from his elementary school were chosen to attend a school trip to Ottawa, Ontario in May of the year 1967. The trip itinerary included boarding a flight operated by Air Canada to the capital city, a 3-night stay at the Talisman Hotel in Ottawa, and a trip to the House of Commons and Rideau Hall. The children were chaperoned by a Police Constable of the Welland Police Department (prior to the amalgamation into what is now known as Niagara Regional Police Service, or NRPS). Mario began high school at Welland High and Vocational School (now defunct) in September 1969, and was known by friends and family to have severe attendance and truancy issues as a direct result of his hospitalization. Despite this, Mario had joined the school's Chess Club in his second year (grade 10), and also competed in Track and Field running relays. Mario is not pictured anywhere in his yearbooks (as he would avoid attending class photos), except for a small picture of him running track, and a group photo of the Chess Club (both in 1970 only), which is listed in the gallery. Later, Mario graduated from high school in June of 1973. He was actually scheduled to graduate the year before, however, he had missed a substantial amount of classes, as he had been admitted to the Welland County Hospital for about 1 or 2 months after being formally diagnosed with clinical depression, and underwent countless rounds of shock therapy during his stay. Once discharged, he repeated the 12th grade the following year. After graduating high school, he returned to the school to complete an optional 5th year ('grade 13') at Hamilton Collegiate Institute (circa 1973-74) in order to be accepted into and attend university. Mario then attended McMaster University in Hamilton, which took place in 1974. In the following year, he also attended Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, where he would soon spend most of his time in the summer of 1976-77. Mario was also part of the Governor Generals' Foot Guards (3rd division, Public Duties Detachment) in the same time period, and at one point, had gone to CFB Petawawa to complete his basic training (BMQ). Also, In 1976, Mario had a door sign/plaque belonging to Carleton University that stated "Aerodynamics Research Laboratory". How he was able to obtain this is unknown. Prior to his disappearance in late 1977, and after returning home for a short period, Mario had also been working in Welland amongst Niagara College's Theater program at Sacred Heart Church, located on Empire Street, in Downtown Welland, working as a set designer. At the time, the program had been celebrating its 10-year anniversary, and rehearsals were being held every weekend in mid-to-late October 1977. The venue was dubbed "Welland Little Theatre", which is now defunct. Mario also had obtained a copy of a paperback book by Faber Plays before he disappeared, that contained a script for the play "The Real Inspector Hound" (written by Tom Stoppard), and a list of other plays for which a script could be ordered. The book had apparently originated from London, England. A date was set for December 13, 1977 for the Niagara College Theater program to put on the rehearsed play at 111 Church Road in St. Catharines, Ontario. It is unlikely that Mario was in attendance, and his name was omitted from the publication. He was familiar with, and often relied on using public transportation and hitchhiking to make his way from city to city, and at one point, took shelter at the YMCA of Hamilton (as well as several hostels). He wore upscale clothing, and wasn't your average 'transient' traveler. He typically wore wool Levis' Panatela pants, and button-up dress shirts. He was known to also wear Hushpuppies brand dress shoes, size 9 (US/Canada). His family states that he specifically never wore denim jeans, as they didn't fit his style, and he only ever wore black or other dark-colored socks. Palermo was also known to have a high IQ, and family states that he had an introvert personality type. Mario had obtained a slip of paper from a pharmacy in Welland, Ontario, documenting a prescription he had received from a doctor in October 1977, about a month before his disappearance (and around the time that he was working with Niagara College's theater program), for the pharmaceutical drug named chloral hydrate 500mg (prescribed as a sedative to help combat insomnia). At the time that the slip was printed, the prescription still contained 2 refills, and it is unknown whether they had ever been fulfilled or not. It turned out that the prescription in question had actually been forged by Mario, in order to obtain the medication for recreational purposes. Palermo had done so 2 separate times in the past, and it soon caught up with him. About 3 days prior to leaving home, police visited the household wanting to speak to Mario. He was then told that the doctor he was forging signatures of was highly considering filing charges for fraud, and the authorities subsequently warned him for the last time that if he was caught doing this again, they would have no choice but to convict him. The doctor later decided to drop the charges. He always kept regular contact with his mother over the phone, and it was unlike him to abruptly stop contacting her. After a few days of not hearing from him at all, Petronilla became alarmed and local authorities were alerted. The missing persons report was subsequently filed in January of 1978. Theories *He may be Markham Doe *He may be 1775UMON *He may be Hamilton John Doe (1978) *He may be 17UMCA *He may have changed his name, living under a new identity in Ottawa, ON. The name of the strongly-suspected alias of interest is being withheld at this present time, pending further investigation. *He may be Cartierville John Doe Methods of Identification *'DNA Available': Yes, Familial (maternal) sequenced as of late 2009 *'Dental records' (radiographs and charts) Available: Yes *'Skeletal (if remains)': No broken bones; Positive presence of muscle striations indicating athleticism (as Palermo was an avid runner) *'Smoker': No *'Characteristic Features': 2 moles on left edge of mandible, near the chin. One tiny freckle on left cheek. Blemish/mark/abrasion on right upper jaw. Very slight receding hairline. Patchy mustache, with no hair on the philtrum (area between top lip and nose). Often styled hair to partially cover his ears. He may or may not have worn a beard. Shoe size is 8-8.5 US/CAN. Only ever wore button-up dress shirts, Levis brand Panatela Pants ('disco' pants), black/dark socks, and dress shoes or Hushpuppies moccasins, as well as Waltham watches. Never wore jewelry of any kind. Always well-kempt. Case The last time Palermo was seen alive was December 12, 1977. At the time of his disappearance, he was not carrying any identification. When he left, he took a brown Dionite luggage travel bag with him, and he was wearing a dark beige and brown (tartan patterned) pair of Panatela wool pants. He usually kept a pocketknife in his pants' pocket for protection, encased in a vinyl/leather sheath. Mario had also owned a Waltham brand watch, which was presumably taken with him when he left home. He had left behind the small warranty card belonging to that specific watch, with his signature on the back of the little booklet. Mario also left behind a bank book belonging to him and the Bank of Nova Scotia (now called Scotiabank), and more specifically, the transit number revealed that the bank was in Ottawa on the campus of Carleton University. The bank book showed bank statements consistent with deposits, transfers, and withdrawals regarding tuition and rent payments for a short amount of time (January to March 1976). Oddly, when the bank account was searched for at the Bank of Canada in 2018 (Unclaimed Balances portal), the name of the accountholder was a "Hyacinth Hogg". Moreover, the account in question had not been used since the 1990s', and it had the same balance as what was printed on the book in 1976. Searches for the peculiar name and circumstances came up empty. Prior to his disappearance from his family home, he had sat down with his sister, and blankly told her that he had to leave, and she would never see him again. He had also said this to one of his brothers around the same time. Mario had been acting progressively more despondent, detached, and stressed until he left, and family was unsure what to make of the statement. The day he left his family home was actually early in the morning of November 30th, 1977, and it is implied that he had stayed with his best friend in Hamilton for a few weeks after leaving Welland. The friend in question would later confirm the accuracy of this statement in 1991. On his official day of disappearance (December 12, 1977), Mario had asked his friend for a ride to Hamilton's Greyhound bus depot, and upon arrival Palermo had ominously stated to his friend that he would "never see him again", and needed to "take care of business", before saying goodbye. His destination is unknown. The last time anyone heard from Palermo was January 8, 1978, when his mother received a'' Grey Coach'' parcel from Orillia, Ontario, containing a pair of boots that Palermo borrowed from his brother and two boxes of chocolates. Palermo was reported missing by his mother on January 20, 1978. Initially, Mario's family believed that he may have simply re-entered and begun residing in Conflenti, Italy. However, an international search conducted around 1994 by INTERPOL in conjunction with the RCMP (on behalf of Mr. Gilbert Parent, who was an MP at the time, spending years attempting to help family locate Mario) proved negative, as no records were found of a passport or Italian visa under his birth name and identity. However, the relocation cannot be totally ruled out, as he often told siblings in detail that he "knew how to change his name" in order to obtain a new identity, and even mentioned a few times in passing that if he were to do so, he would take on the first name 'Frank', or 'Franco' (named after his maternal uncle), and on separate occasions, Mario often expressed wanting to return to his birthplace in Italy. In 1980, there was a reunion in Ottawa for members of the military that had begun in the Southwestern region of Ontario. Stephen ('Steve', as he was known by the Palermo family) Mercer, who was a long-standing close friend to Mario, had been stationed in British Columbia in the late '70s after being raised in Wellland, Ontario. He had been aware that Mario was a Guardsman in the years prior to his disappearance, and that Mario would be attending the reunion for this reason. Mercer had made the long and arduous trip back to Ontario, and attended the reunion in an attempt to solely catch up with his old friend. Once he learned that Mario had not been at the reunion, he then travelled (about an 8 hour drive) from Ottawa to the family's home in Welland. He was greeted by Mario's family, and they were asked if Mario had been home, and if he could speak to him. To his complete surprise, he was informed that Mario was not home, and that he had actually been missing for a significant amount of time. Steve took it upon himself, and promised Palermo's parents that he would find his dear friend and their beloved son, as he had strong contacts that could help him do so. Unfortunately, family never heard back from Steve since he left that evening. Mr. Mercer passed away on March 24, 2011 in Comox, British Columbia at the age of 57.http://yourlifemoments.ca/sitepages/obituary.asp?oId=485120 Mario had a long history of involvement as a patient in several of Ontario's inpatient mental health facilities throughout the '70s while being treated for Major Depressive Disorder. Subsequently, Gilbert Parent then suggested to family that they should attempt to make contact with these facilities in hopes of attaining helpful information regarding his whereabouts. In 1993, letters were mailed to every mental institution in all of Canada that contained a request for assistance by searching patient intake records using his name and his most recent photograph. Attached was also a lengthy physical description, in hopes that someone may have recognized him. Unfortunately, this effort did not surface any leads. When the international search ended in 1994 and its results came up empty, the family were collectively told that no further investigation could be performed, as they had come to a 'dead end' after all routes of investigation failed to identify any leads, but authorities surmised that there was indeed a strong possibility that he has been living under a new name and identity. All of Mario's friends (one of which who was serving for the Canadian military in British Columbia) were interviewed by one of his brothers, and none of them were even aware of Mario's disappearance, and claimewd they had no contact with him at all from 1977 to the 1990s, when the intervews occurred. The only person who had some idea of what had occurred was his friend, Leslie, who had claimed to be the last person to see Mario alive. Also In 1977, he had already been in serious debt regarding tuition from 2 separate universities (those of which he never graduated from), and this may have also been a motive (if he happened to change his identity in any way) in an attempt to begin anew. In late 2009, Detective Constable Douglas Clarke of York Regional Police's Homicide department had paid a visit to the home of Petronilla Palermo (his late mother), and formerly, that of Mario's, and had informed the family that he was investigating a lead, which had been an unidentified case by the name of "Markham Doe", and that Mario may have been the decedent in question. Petronilla had subsequently submitted a DNA sample for analysis (which is still available), and after being tested, the results were negative. As of March 6th, 2019, an enquiry began as to whether or not there is a possibility that Mario Palermo's case may match with that of "Hamilton John Doe". The lead was then ruled out in April 2019. On one occasion in 1992, a man thought to match Mario's description (as well as a similar gait) was spotted walking on the corner of East Main St. from the Welland Transit bus hub in Welland by one of Palermo's brothers who was driving down the street at the time, facing his direction. This was the last time anyone fitting such a description had been seen in Welland. Gallery Blank 6 x 9 in.png|Childhood photograph, circa 1964, displaying characteristic ears and jaw/facial proportions IMG_0513 (2).jpg|Mario; circa 1965 MarioPalermo69.png|Mario's Grade 9 photograph at Welland High, in September 1969 56502829_1019412141596606_1771032410205454336_n (1).jpg|Rare yearbook photo of Mario and other Chess Club members, 1970. Note the distinct appearance of ears and jaw. IMG_0438.jpg|Mario's student card from 1973, when he was attending grade 13 at Welland High LastknownpicMarioPalermo76.png|Mario's OC Transpo (Ottawa-Carleton Bus Lines) ID card; 1976 54257524_410316679728009_4282410984879947776_n-2.jpg|Mario's Student/Residence (September 1975-Summer 1976) ID card from Carleton University, Ottawa, ON. Mario-painting-unkartist-petronilla.jpg|Painting of Mario commissioned by his mother in 1977. 6ea53e356eced90ddf9c52f535299b05.jpg|Pair of Levis Panatela pants, similar to what Palermo had been wearing the day he left home. images.jpeg|Exact color, material, and pattern of Panatela pants Mario had worn on the day of his disappearance. il_570xN.1222090693_e42y.jpg|Identical to Dionite luggage travel bag that Mario had left home with. Links * Palermo's Face In 3D: Animated Photo * Mario's Life in Pictures: Family-created * }} * NCMPUR References Category:Ties to Italy Category:1977 disappearances Category:Missing people from Ontario Category:1950s births Category:Young adults Category:Cases over 40 years old Category:Possible transients Category:Possible hitchhikers